


The Vampire Anastasie

by ElizaEnjolrasdeLioncourt



Category: Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-07-26
Packaged: 2018-05-15 20:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,460
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5799058
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElizaEnjolrasdeLioncourt/pseuds/ElizaEnjolrasdeLioncourt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of Lestat's twin sister Anastasie de Lioncourt</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Anastasie and Lestat de Lioncourt were inseparable since birth. They were born only five minutes apart, and were best friends as well as siblings. No one would have guessed that they were twins. Lestat grew to be about six feet tall with blond hair and blue eyes. Anastasie, however only grew to be about five foot four, and she had brown hair and green eyes. While Lestat never got along with their blind father, the Marquis de Lioncourt, he treated Anastasie like a princess. 

When they were little, they played down in the village with their friend, Nicolas de L’Enfant, almost every day. The three of them did almost everything together. As they grew up, the games changed to them simply getting together and talking, instead. When she and Lestat turned eighteen, Nicolas and Lestat gave her a necklace. 

“Close your eyes!” Nicolas told her.

“Nicki, this is ridiculous,” she laughed, “Why do I need to close my eyes?”

“Just do it!” she heard Lestat yell from across the road as he was walking over with the present.

“Oh, fine!” Anastasie sighed as she closed her eyes.

After a minute or two passed, Nicki finally said, “Alright, you can open them.”

Anastasie opened her eyes and saw the most beautiful necklace she’d ever seen. It was a gold locket that opened up to reveal a little clock, and it was shaped like a heart. “You two remembered!” she exclaimed.

“Anastasie,” Lestat said, “I have no choice whether or not I remember your birthday; it’s my birthday too.”

“That’s not what I meant, Lestat. I meant that you remembered me saying I liked this necklace the last time we were looking in the shop window.”

“Of course we remembered,” Nicki said, “we are too brilliant to have forgotten.”

Anastasie smiled, “Silly me, how could I have forgotten that you two are brilliant. Even though you aren’t as brilliant as me...”

“No one is as brilliant as you,” Nicki said pausing dramatically, “In fact, you would leave Socrates, Plato, and Homer dumbfounded. Shakespeare himself could not outwit the great Anastasie de Lioncourt!”

“I get it, Nicki!” she said shaking her head.

“The whole village does,” Lestat groaned.

 

After she turned eighteen, her mother, Gabrielle, told Anastasie that it was improper for a young woman to socialize with no one but her brother and his friend. She went out with them less after that, but never stopped wearing the necklace.

Soon, her father started talking about finally arranging a marriage for her.

“Father,” she suggested, “Why don’t you see if you can arrange my marriage with Nicolas de L’Enfant?”

“Absolutely not!” He replied

“Why not, Father? Nicolas and I have known each other since we were little kids.”

“He just returned from Paris, having disgraced his family by pursuing a career as a violinist. I will not have my daughter married to a musician!” he yelled, “I’m sorry, my darling, but he is not good enough for our family. No, you will marry Jacques.”

“Jacques?” Anastasie asked horrified, “Why him? I’ve only met the man once.”

“His father and I are friends, and we are both Marquis. He will inherit the title someday, and you will be better off with him than you will with Nicolas. It is decided, I will send one of your older brothers to talk to his father for me,” he paused, “Augustin!”

“Yes, Father,” Augustin said approaching the Marquis’s side.

Anastasie did not particularly like Augustin as a brother (or as a human being for that matter). He was unfathomably cruel to Lestat (who was standing beside Anastasie listening in on the conversation); he always taunted him for his interest in acting and literature. He beat him a few times, too, until Anastasie had to pull him off of Lestat. 

“Augustin, I need you to ride to the Marquis de Blanchefluer’s castle, and ask him if he would be interested in arranging a marriage between Jacques and Anastasie,” the Marquis told his son.

“Who would want to marry Anastasie?” Augustin scoffed.

“Well, we found a girl who was delusional enough to marry you, Augustin,” Anastasie shot back.

Augustin raised his hand to hit Anastasie, but it was caught by Lestat, “Don’t even think about it,” Lestat growled, locking eyes with his brother.

“Now, stop bickering,” their father reprimanded before things got out of hand, “Please, Augustin, just go.”

“Of course, Father,” he said, “I’ll be back soon.”

“I’ll go wait in my room,” Anastasie said, keeping her composure in front of her father.

“Very well, darling,” the Marquis said.

Lestat followed Anastasie up to her room.

“Lestat, please, don’t say anything. It is taking every bit of self-control I have not to stop breathing,” Anastasie said taking a few deep breaths, “I mean it isn’t that bad, but it is nerve-racking.”

“Why Nicolas?” Lestat asked, “Not that it was a bad idea, but why him?”

“It’s simple. I know him, we’ve been friends since we were children, and you love him.”

“How did you—,” he started asking before he was interrupted.

“Lestat, it’s obvious you two love each other,” she whispered, “If we were married, you would see a lot more of him. I’m not in love with anyone and I figured you could cope with us being married, so long as it meant you would see him more often.”

“I cannot believe he is going to make you marry Jacques of all people.”

“Jacques’s father has not even agreed to the marriage yet, Lestat. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”

“You don’t love him! You don’t want to marry him, do you?” he asked.

“Of course I don’t, but there are worse people than Jacques in France. It wouldn’t be the worst thing that could happen, I suppose. Besides, I’m not in love with Nicki either.”

“I’ll go talk to father, Anastasie; maybe he will change his mind.”

“We both know that is never going to happen, especially if you go and talk to him.”

“You’re right,” he paused, “Damn it! I wish there was something I could do to make him see that he is ruining your life.”

“No one is ruining my life, Lestat. Calm down. Augustin will be back in a little bit, and he’s not going to like you screaming up here.”

“I do not care what Augustin likes or dislikes,” Lestat said arrogantly.

“Oh, yes, that is a great idea; try to make him angry with you. I’m sure that will not end badly,” Anastasie said back sarcastically.

Lestat laughed, “You know I would not try to anger him. All I am saying is that I don’t care if he dislikes something I do. I will not change my mannerisms, or actions on account of him not liking them.”

“I don’t expect you to, that would be too easy,” Anastasie teased her brother.

“You know me all too well,” Lestat sighed.

“Anastasie!” they heard the Marquis call from downstairs.

She ran down the stairs, followed closely by Lestat, “Yes, father; what is it?”

“Your brother just told me that the Marquis Blanchefluer has agreed to the marriage,” her father told her, smiling, “Augustin even set up a date for you and Jacques to get to know each other better before the wedding. Of course, one of your brothers will have to go with you.”

Anastasie was silent for a moment before Lestat nudged her, taking her back to reality, “When is the date?” she finally asked.

“Tomorrow night,” her father responded, “Lestat can accompany you if you want.”

“I would be happy to, Anastasie,” Lestat said.

“Thank you, Lestat,” their father said, “Isn’t this exciting, darling?”

“Yes, father,” Anastasie lied, “I can hardly wait.”

Later that night, Gabrielle entered her daughter’s room.

“Hello, Mother,” Anastasie said.

“Did I wake you, sweetie?” Gabrielle asked.

“No,” Anastasie sighed, “I can’t sleep. I am too nervous about tomorrow.”

“I know how you feel,” Gabrielle said, “Your father means well, but I know you would rather marry Nicolas.”

“I’m not in love with Nicki, Mother, but we have been friends since before I can remember, and I know everything about him already. I know he would be a good husband. Jacques in the other hand, I don’t know at all. I’ve only met him twice, and we have never said more than three words to each other.”

“Well, if it makes you feel any better, Jacques is a very nice boy. We’ve met, and he wouldn’t hurt a fly. I think you two will really like each other.”

“Thank you, Mother,” Anastasie said, “I feel much better now.”

She wasn’t lying. She knew her mother wouldn’t say that if it weren’t true.

And Gabrielle was right; Anastasie and Jacques really hit it off. They shared the same interests, and Lestat seemed to approve of him. Although it wasn’t love at first sight, Anastasie felt certain that it could grow into love eventually.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for all the sadness that is about to happen.

By the time of the wedding, Anastasie and Jacques were both excited about getting married. Even though neither of them had originally thought an arranged marriage was a good idea, they were pleasantly surprised at how well they got along. The Marquis was pleased at the fact that Anastasie had finally stopped protesting the idea of an arranged marriage. The wedding happened two months after her twentieth birthday.

“Are you sure about this, Anastasie?” Lestat asked on the day of the wedding, “You can always back out if father is forcing you into this.”

“I’m sure, Lestat, Jacques is really nice and I think I’ll be happy,” she said before adding, “and I also think it’s a little too late to back out.”

“It isn’t too late!” he said, “come on let’s go tell Father you’ve changed your mind.”

“Lestat,” she said crossing her arms, “I haven’t changed my mind, and it is too late, seeing as I’m walking down the aisle in less than an hour.”

“I’m sorry, and you’re right,” he sighed.

“One of us has to be right, and it’s usually me,” she joked shoving him a little.

Lestat grinned and made a move to shove her back.

“Don’t even think about it!” she scolded, “I’m in my wedding dress!”

(http://gentlywornvintage.co.uk/resources/images/courtdress400x500.jpg this is her wedding dress).

Lestat laughed and pretended to pout, “Fine, I’ll get you next time.”

"I'm sure you will," Anastasie giggled.

After the wedding, Jacques and Anastasie moved into a smaller house down in the village. Jacques insisted on living alone with his wife until the time came for him to inherit his father’s title and castle along with it. This way he could go out with his friends as much as he wanted, and he and Anastasie could have some privacy.

One day, about a year into their marriage, Anastasie realized that she might be pregnant. 

“Jacques,” she called.

“Yes, Anastasie,” he said as he found her in their bedroom, “What is it, darling?”

“Jacques,” she said smiling, “I think I am with child.”

“That’s wonderful! I’ll send for a doctor immediately!”

“I have to write to Lestat!” she said, as she got up to find paper and her pen.

A visit from the doctor confirmed Anastasie’s suspicions. Later that day, Lestat showed up at their house.

Anastasie answered the knock at the door and was greeted by Lestat picking her up and shouting, “You’re going to have a baby!”

She jumped, “Yes, I’m aware,” she said after the shock wore off.

“I’m going to be an uncle!” he beamed.

“Lestat,” Anastasie said confused, “You do know that you are already an uncle, right?”

“I know that, Anastasie,” he said, “but none of our other nieces and nephews like me, and if they start to Augustin and the others ruin it. Your child will adore me.”

“Or, maybe, my child will hate you as much as I do,” she laughed.

Lestat pretended to be offended, “You hate me?”

“Not all the time,” Anastasie smiled.

Jacques came to the door to see who Anastasie was talking to, “Lestat,” he said shaking his brother-in-law’s hand, “What brings you here?”

“I got Anastasie’s letter, and I had to come congratulate the two of you in person,” he explained.

“Anastasie is going to be a great mother; don’t you think so, Lestat?” Jacques said excitedly, placing his hands on his wife's shoulders.

“Of course she will,” Lestat agreed, “So, do you two think it’s a boy or a girl?” he asked.

“I think it’s a girl,” Anastasie said, “but it’s just a feeling.”

“Have you thought of any names yet?” Lestat asked.

“Well, if it’s a boy Jacques wants to name him after the Marquis,” Anastasie told Lestat, “but if it’s a girl, I really like the name Arielle.”

“That’s a beautiful name,” Lestat said, “I’ve got to go, Nicki and I have plans. I hope to see the two of you again soon.”

“So long, Lestat,” Jacques said returning to the living room.

“Bye,” Anastasie said hugging her brother, “Say hello to Nicki for me, and tell him the news.”

“I will,” he said, “See you soon.”

Anastasie went back inside.

“Did you hear that, Jacques?” she asked alarmed having heard a howl coming from the woods.

“Yes, I heard it,” he said, “It must be that damned wolf pack again. I heard the priest asked Lestat to do something about it.”

“I doubt he will do anything,” Anastasie said, “It would take more than one man to kill them.”

“There are only a few of them, maybe four. I think he’d be able to take them down easily. Your brother is an amazing hunter.”

“I don’t know, as reckless as Lestat is, I think he would say that it’s too dangerous.”

About a few weeks later, Jacques and his friends planned to go out hunting together.

“Anastasie, I’m going out hunting with my friends,” Jacques told her, “I will be home later.”

“Be careful,” she warned, “Don’t go after the wolves.”

“We won’t,” he assured her, “We are just hunting deer, tonight.”

After a few hours, there was a knock at the door.

Anastasie opened it to find Jacques’s friends, “What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Anastasie,” one of them said, with tears in his eyes, “we were hunting and one of the wolves took down Jacques’s horse. We tried to help him, but another wolf got to him before we did. I’m sorry, but the wolf killed him.”

Anastasie stood there, devastated. She couldn’t speak. The tears started running down her face.

“Is there anything we can do for you, Anastasie?” another one of his friends asked.

“No, thank you. Thank you all for letting me know,” she said through the tears, “Excuse me,” she murmured closing the door.

Anastasie couldn’t even move. She sat down with her back against the door and cried.

First thing the next morning, she rode to her father’s castle. 

She was met at the door by Lestat, “Anastasie, what are you doing home?” he asked. Then he realized that she had been crying, “What’s wrong?”

“Jacques went out hunting with some friends last night,” she said, “He was killed by two of the wolves. He didn’t even go out to kill them, Lestat, they were deer hunting.”

“Anastasie, I am so sorry,” he said hugging his sister, “come inside…I’ll go tell father what happened.”

A few minutes later Lestat returned, “Father wants to talk to you,” he told Anastasie.

Anastasie went to her father, “Lestat said you wanted to see me,” she said.

“Anastasie is what Lestat told me true?” he asked.

“That would depend on what he told you,” she said, “If he told you that my husband died last night then yes, it’s true.”

“I’m sorry, darling,” he said pausing, “Is it also true that you’re with child?”

“Yes, father, that is true as well.”

“Well then, it’s decided!”

“What is decided?”

“You will move back home, go with Lestat and get all of your belongings. I’ll write to the village record keeper and have him change your name back to de Lioncourt.”

“Thank you father,” Anastasie said, smiling. She walked over and hugged him.

 

Lestat and Anastasie brought all of her things back to her room in the castle.

By dinner that night, everyone knew what had happened to Jacques, and they all knew not to bring it up to Anastasie. 

When their father mentioned that he was going to get her name changed from de Blanchefluer back to de Lioncourt was when the argument started.

“What do you mean, father?” Augustin asked, shocked, “Will her child have our last name as well?”

“I suppose so,” the Marquis replied.

“Father!” Augustin exclaimed outraged, “Do you know what people will think of Anastasie, about our family?”

Lestat chimed in, “No, Augustin, what will they think? Will they perhaps think that her husband died, and that she is raising her child here, along with your children, and your nieces and nephews?”

“No, Lestat, they will think that she’s a whore, who is having a child out of wedlock, and that our father, the Marquis, has decided to support her anyway,” Augustin said.

"You know I can hear you, Augustin, don't you?" Anastasie asked.

"Well, it's true," he yelled.

“Nonsense,” the Marquis said, “The whole village was at Anastasie’s wedding, and by now everyone knows that Jacques has passed away. They will think nothing of it.”

“But, Father—,” Augustin objected.

“Enough,” their father interrupted, “I’ve made my decision, and I am sure Anastasie does not want to discuss this anymore.”

“Thank you, Father,” Anastasie almost whispered.

 

Two weeks later, Anastasie was having a dream about her daughter. She couldn’t have been more than a month old. She was crawling around the floor playing with her cousins, and one of Lestat’s mastiff puppies. Lestat entered the room followed by Nicolas.

“So, this is your baby?” Nicolas said picking her up, “What’s her name?”

“Her name is Arielle,” Anastasie said, “ I think she looks a little like Jacques.”

“Are you kidding?” Nicolas asked, “She could be your twin, Anastasie!”

“Sorry, Nicki,” Lestat said, “that position has been filled.”

Nicolas laughed, “Yes, I know, Lestat,” he sighed, “She is really beautiful, Anastasie.”

“Well, she gets that from her uncle,” Lestat smiled, “Don’t you, Arielle?”

All of a sudden Arielle started crying, and Anastasie woke up to a sharp pain in her stomach. She sat up, in bed and threw the covers off of her to get up. It’s far too early for this to be the baby coming, she thought to herself. She looked down at the bed, and that’s when she saw the blood. It was everywhere.

“No,” she whispered to herself. Then there was another wave of pain; she screamed.

Lestat came running into her room. He threw open the door without even thinking to knock as he usually would have, “Anastasie, what’s wrong?” he asked before seeing the blood, “Oh, dear God, what happened?”

Anastasie was crying, “Lestat, go get Mother,” she managed to get out.

Lestat did as he was told and came back with Gabrielle.

“Oh, my dear,” Gabrielle said rushing to her daughter’s side, “are you in any more pain?”

Anastasie shook her head, “No, it stopped; Mother, what happened?”

“My love, it appears that you’ve lost the baby,” she said with tears forming in her eyes, “I’m so sorry, Anastasie, I know how much you wanted to be a mother.”

“Are you sure?” Anastasie asked, devistated.

“I’m afraid so,” Gabrielle replied, “I know what this kind of thing looks like,” she paused, “Lestat, goes get the doctor for your sister. He will have to make sure that there is no other damage.”

“Yes, Mother,” Lestat said running out of the room.

What seemed like an eternity later, he returned with the doctor. He examined Anastasie and determined that her mother was correct about the loss of the baby, but that there was no other threat to Anastasie’s well-being.

Anastasie stayed in her room for the next week. Her whole world had come to an end in the span of a month. She would talk to no one, but Lestat and even he couldn’t get her to leave her room. She eventually left the room and rejoined her family, and she was even starting to feel better, that is, until one night when she heard Lestat pacing around his room, and eventually stomping down the stairs muttering to himself,

“I’m going to kill those goddamned wolves!”


	3. Chapter 3

Anastasie awoke to Augustin pounding on her bedroom door sometime before sunrise.

She opened her door, “Augustin, it’s the middle of the night. What—”

“Where the hell is Lestat? I know he would have told you where he was going!” Augustin shouted at Anastasie, “so where is he?”

“I’ve no idea where he could be at this hour,” she lied to his face.

“That’s a lie,” he said, grabbing her by the arm, “Now tell me where he is, or I’ll make you tell me,” he tightened his grip.

Anastasie winced in pain, but kept her composure perfectly. She looked him in the eye, “I already told you, Augustin, I have no clue where Lestat is…and even if I did, what makes you think that I would tell you?”

Without any warning, he threw Anastasie to the ground. He stood over her, after she hit the floor, and started yelling, “Listen here you little—,” he got out before he was interrupted by Lestat.

Lestat came running up the staircase, clearly exhausted, but not exhausted enough to let Augustin hurt Anastasie, “Augustin, what the hell do you think you’re doing?” he shouted stepping between them and pushing Augustin back away from Anastasie. 

“Lestat,” Anastasie said in horror, noticing the blood on his clothes. She stood up and put her hand on Lestat’s arm, “Are you alright? What have you done?”

By now Gabrielle was awake and had joined them in the hallway.

“Lestat,” Gabrielle said, “Where have you been? I have been worried sick.”

“I killed them, Anastasie. I killed the wolves that killed your husband. There were eight of them. My horse and my dogs died out in the snow, but I killed them, all of them,” Lestat told his sister.

“That’s a lie,” Augustin scoffed.

“Would you like to place a wager on that, brother?” Lestat shot back, looking Augustin directly in the eyes. 

There was no response. Augustin understood that Lestat was telling the truth.

“How, Lestat?” Anastasie asked.

“I don’t really know. It was almost supernatural. I guess my survival instinct took over,” Lestat tried to explain.

“Oh,” Anastasie said, “Why don’t you rest, Lestat...we can talk about it in the morning, if you want.”

Lestat just nodded and went to his room. Everyone else returned to their rooms and went to sleep.

The next day, Anastasie went downstairs to find Lestat reading by the fire with one of his new puppies curled up in his lap. 

“Do you want to talk about it now?” she asked as she approached him.

Lestat looked up from his book, “Not particularly,” he sighed.

“It’s upsetting you though,” Anastasie said, kneeling next to his chair and petting the dog in his lap.

“No it isn’t upsetting me, Anastasie; I am fine,” Lestat replied, “just a little scratched up.”

“Lestat, I know that you are lying to me. I can always tell when something is bothering you…I can almost feel it, too, you know that,” Anastasie said.

“Do you know that father is mad at me?” Lestat almost whispered.

“He is mad at you?” Anastasie asked, “Why would he be mad at you?”

“I went to kill the wolves. It was not my place to go kill them, I embarrassed our family, he says,” Lestat explained.

“You could have saved so many lives doing so, though…I do not understand why he would be angry about it.”

“Neither do I,” Lestat said, shaking his head.

Later that night, Gabrielle called Anastasie into her room.

“Mother, you wanted to see me?” Anastasie asked.

“Yes, dear, I did. I think you should go down to the village bar and find Nicolas and Lestat,” Gabrielle said.

“Would that not be improper, Mother?” Anastasie asked, “I would not want anyone to talk…”

“Yes,” Gabrielle agreed, “But you’ll want to know what they are discussing.”

“What are they discussing?”

“Go and find out,” Gabrielle told her with a soft smile.

“Yes, Mother.”

Anastasie waited until her brothers weren’t looking and snuck out of the castle and down to the village bar. She quickly found Lestat and Nicolas sitting at their usual corner table.

“What are you doing here, Anastasie?” Lestat asked as she approached them.

“Mother told me I should come and talk with you two,” she explained, “She said that I would want to know what you are talking about tonight.”

“Well,” Nicolas started, looking at Lestat as if for permission, “We are running away to Paris, so I can play the violin and Lestat can act.”

“Really?” Anastasie asked, “Can I come, too? If you two are playing the violin and acting, I can dance and sing.”

Lestat looked at her shocked, “Father will not be pleased. In fact our father and Nicki’s will probably disown us.”

“To hell with them,” Anastasie replied almost too quickly. She would never have said anything like that in front of anyone but Lestat and Nicolas. Anyone else would have started rumors, or gossiped about her being “wild” or “improper”.

“To hell with them!” Nicolas repeated, smiling.

Lestat nodded, “Then it is decided.”

“When do we leave?” Anastasie asked.

“Tomorrow night?” Nicki suggested.

“Wonderful idea, Nicki,” Anastasie said, “What do you think, Lestat?”

“Tomorrow night it is!” Lestat grinned putting one arm around Nicki and the other around Anastasie, “By this time tomorrow night, we will be in Paris!”

“Just imagine!” Anastasie beamed, “The three of us in Paris! You’ve been there, Nicki, what is it like?”

“Oh, it is incredible, Anastasie!” Nicolas said, “You will love it! The bells of Notre Dame ring out the most beautiful noise every hour on the hour! Some of the most enlightened minds you will ever engage live in Paris. I promise the two of you will feel right at home there.” 

“We will have to wait until night falls and sneak out of the castle, or our brothers will surely stop us,” Lestat told Anastasie, “Father will probably send you off to a convent to become a nun.”

“I can’t become a nun, Lestat, I’m not a virgin,” Anastasie remarked before she could think to say otherwise.

Lestat cringed, “A tad too much information, don’t you think?”

“Oh, sorry,” Anastasie said. “Wait a minute, I was with child.”

“What has that got to do with anything?” Lestat asked.

“Did you assume it was a virginal conception, like Mary?” Anastasie laughed.

“Can we please get onto a different subject?” Lestat replied quickly, “I’d rather not think of my sister in that way.”

“I agree,” Nicki chimed in, “What time are we leaving tomorrow night, then?”

“Ten O’clock,” Lestat said, “That should be perfect.”

“Then I will see the two of you at ten O’clock tomorrow night,” Nicki smiled standing up, “We will meet down by the church.”

“We will not be late,” Anastasie said running her hand over her necklace.

Anastasie returned to her room later that night to find Gabrielle sitting on her bed.

“You went to talk with Lestat and Nicki?” Gabrielle asked her.

“Yes, mother,” Anastasie nodded.

“And was I correct?” Gabrielle smiled at her daughter.

“Yes, mother, you were,” Anastasie grinned, “we leave tomorrow at ten at night,” she whispered.

“Excellent, don’t let your father or brothers know,” Gabrielle told her.

“I know, and don’t worry, I’ll write to you immediately, and in Italian,” Anastasie said.

“You’ll have to translate your brother’s letters for him.”

“Yes, Mother, I will. I will miss you.” 

“Oh, darling, I will miss you, too, but this is for the best…I heard your father talking about arranging another marriage for you,” Gabrielle whispered.

Anastasie gasped softly, “Thank you for telling me to go, Mother…I know I could never go through with another arranged marriage.”

“Just as I expected, you are as strong-willed and stubborn as your brother,” Gabrielle laughed, “Now get to bed, you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow.”

“Goodnight, Mother,” Anastasie smiled.

Gabrielle left Anastasie alone in her room. Anastasie immediately started packing a bag. She was more than aware that she’d have to pack lightly; she settled on a few of her favorite dresses, a single pair of shoes and a few other things. Once she was done, she shoved the suitcase under her bed and went to sleep. 

Anastasie awoke the next morning knowing that the next time she woke up, she would be in Paris with her brother and her best friend.

Lestat knocked on her door about an hour before they had to meet Nicki.

Anastasie opened the door expecting Augustin. She smiled when she saw it was Lestat, “How may I help you?”

“You have everything you need?” Lestat whispered.

“Yes, I do,” Anastasie replied. 

“Great, we will leave soon then,” Lestat smiled. He lifted her off the ground and spun her around, “We are going to Paris!”

Anastasie laughed, “Keep your voice down or we will not being going anywhere.” 

He set her back on the ground, “You are right. It is just so exciting.”

“Even more so now that I know that father was going to arrange another marriage for me,” Anastasie said.

“Perhaps you could marry Nicki once the three of us are settled in Paris?” Lestat smiled, “You could even have a child, like you have always wanted.”

“If Nicki would agree to it, I would not be opposed,” Anastasie grinned trying to hide her excitement.

“Anastasie, he begged Father for your hand,” Lestat told her.

“He—he did?”

“It was a way for the two of us to see more of each other, and he showed no interest in anyone else. You are one of his closest friends and his father was starting to become irritated at not having grandchildren. It was the perfect plan, until Father refused him.”

“If I had known…”

“What?”

“I would have never agreed to another marriage,” Anastasie sighed, “Nicki has to know that.”

“He does,” Lestat assured her.

Anastasie looked down away from her brother.

“Anastasie,” Lestat said meeting her gaze, “once we are in Paris none of that will matter anymore.”

“I…I know…but I wish I had known…that Nicki would have said something to me.”

“You two will have plenty of time to talk about it once we have left this hell-hole for good.”

“About that,” Anastasie smiled looking at the clock on her necklace, “We should get going.”

“Get your things then,” Lestat said rushing to his room.

Anastasie pulled the suitcase from under her bed. She opened it and put a spare cloak in. She started heading for the door where Lestat was already waiting. She turned back and took her ballet slippers from her bottom drawer and put them into her suitcase. 

“OK, now I am ready,” Anastasie whispered.

They walked passed their brothers’ rooms as quietly as humanly possible before heading down the stairs. Lestat opened the door slowly allowing Anastasie to leave first before closing the door behind them.

Anastasie saw Nicolas smile as they approached the church, “You two are right on time,” he said.

“I told you we would not be late,” Anastasie replied with a smirk.

“Ah, yes, how foolish of me to ever doubt you,” Nicki laughed. He motioned for Lestat and Anastasie to follow him, “The carriage is right over here.”

“You are sure you have everything, Anastasie?” Lestat asked.

“Yes, Lestat,” Anastasie rolled her eyes, “I have everything I need.”

“Nicki?” Lestat asked.

“Will you stop fussing, Lestat?” Nicki asked, “We have everything, and anything else we need we will buy once we get to Paris.”

“Fine, you are right,” Lestat sighed.

“I know I am,” Nicki smiled elbowing Lestat’s ribs softly.

“Come on then, gentlemen,” Anastasie teased climbing into the carriage, “I cannot wait all night for the two of you.”

“Of course, mademoiselle,” Nicki chuckled following her into the carriage, Lestat close behind.

 

“You are sure about leaving, Anastasie?” Lestat asked, “We can never come back.”

“There is nothing here for me, Lestat,” Anastasie said, “I am sure of that.”

Lestat simply nodded in response.

The carriage drove away from the village. None of them knew what to expect there, but it would be better than the life they had in their father’s homes. They were going to Paris, and they were going to be happy there.


End file.
